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We Attend a Hanging
Damion Blackfyre April 21st 1660 London, England The ship rocked beneath my feet as we pulled into the harbor of London. British soldiers were crawling everywhere but none payed us any attention, thank the gods for the Mist. Edward, Danielle, Susan and I lowered ourselves from the ship via Susan's vines. I told Victoria, Beau, and Luke to stay with the ship and to be ready to depart at a moments notice. "Let's be going, we won't want to keep the Captain waiting." Edward said motioning for us to follow. He grabbed Danielle by the hand and started walking. I gave him annoyed look but he didn't notice. Susan looped her arm in mine and we followed. He and I both wore cloaks, broad hats and had our swords hidden. The girls wore long dresses with weapons stuffed to the seams. Susan looked comfortable, but Danielle kept fidgeting and readjusting her's. As we walked thought the streets I kept looking over my shoulder, thinking at any moment we were going to be shot. Granted within the hour we'd be dodging bullets left and right. "Damion, are you okay?" Susan asked noticing how agitated I was. I sighed, it had been nearly five years since we had last been in England. Five years since we had stolen the Storm Bringer and became a crew, a family. We also became wanted fugitives, on the run from the English crown. "I'll be better once we are back on the open sea, far away from here." I responded. Edward led us into a square where a crowd had gathered. In the center gallows for a hanging had been set up. I couldn't believe that after five years Ed still knew the layout of London. Perks of being a son of Hermes. We were all demigods. Ed is a son of Hermes. Danielle is a daughter of Ares. Susan is a daughter of Demeter. Victoria is a daughter of Aphrodite. Beau and Lucas are sons of Athena. And myself, I am a son of Hades. It seems like only yesterday that our captain, had brought us together to fight off a gang of cyclopes that had tried to kill each of us. We stood around for a moment listening to the people talk about how exciting it was going to be to see a pirate hang. I glanced up at the gallows, the noose swung lightly in the wind. Suddenly the sounds of soldiers marching and drums filled the air. Soldiers began entering the square guarding the gallows and alleyways. "Show time everyone." I said and we all took our places. I watched as four heavily armed guards walked towards the gallows. In the center walked a teenager, a head shorter than the guards. He had blonde, almost white hair and a scar under his right eye. On his right arm an eagle tattoo showed through his tattered shirt. He had chains around his wrists and ankles. It was our captain Marcus Gale, son of Zeus. His head hung low as he climbed the steps of the gallows. An officer and the executioner followed. I gripped my pistol and waited as the officer began to read. "Marcus Gale, you have been convicted of piracy, robbey, and murder, by his lord and majesty King Charles, the second of his name, and are here by sentenced to hang at the neck 'til death. Do you have any final words?" The officer asked. Marcus finally looked up. There was a gleam in his eye and a smirk on his face. His voice was no more than a whisper but I could hear it clear as day. It was part of a song we all knew, it was our anthem, one we sang for all occasions. Yo, ho, all together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars. Rock the sea, and brand the sky. Yo, ho, never shall we die. When he finished he hung his head again and I could tell he was laughing. The executioner walked over and placed a sack over Marcus's head, then the noose around his neck. He then walked over to the lever and waited for the officer's signal. The officer looked at the executioner and nodded. At that moment we set the plan in motion. As the executioner pulled the lever I drew my pistol, took aim and fired. As Marcus fell through the trap door my bullet severed the rope. He fell to the ground with a thud. Ed rushed forward knife in one hand and his magic key in the other. Before the soldiers could react Danielle set off a large explosion which engulfed a building. Majority of the soldiers ran to put out the blaze but several charged Ed and Marcus who had recently been unshakled. Before the soldiers could reach them vines shot up from the cracks between the cobble stones and grabbed the soldiers as Sue jumped onto the gallows. She had shed her dress and was wearing her normal attire. I ran and and joined the three of them. I could see Danielle skirting around the edge of the square waiting for us to meet her. She had also ditched her dress. I pulled out two swords and threw one to Marcus. "Happy to see us?" I asked him as the four of us stood back-to-back. More and more soldiers began flooding the square. "You cut that a little close, but I'm estatic!" He shouted as he paired a strike from a soldiers bayonet. We fought our way to one of the alleyways where we met Danielle. She had her katanas drawn and was doing a magnificent job of fighting off the soldiers. "Time to make our exit. Damion give us some cover!" Marcus shouted as soldiers lined up to fire. "Aye Captain!" I drove my sword into the ground and the earth quaked. Hell-fire shot up between the cracks in the cobble stone creating a wall of fire between us and the soldiers. I rose and we ran. We raced through the streets of London, following Ed towards the harbor. We passed a large building where children stood at the windows and in the door ways cheering. A boy, maybe eight years old, made Marcus and I stop in our tracks. He scrapped his fingers across his chest over his heart and pushed his palm out towards us. He was a demigod! As I looked around for a moment I saw other children doing the same. "Damion! Marucs!" Susan shouted turning around. "Come on!" I heard soldiers running after us. A bullet whistled past my head as I forced my self to turn away and run. The kids continued to cheer. In a few minutes we reached the harbor and saw the Storm Bringer surronded by dozens of soldiers. They raised their muskets at us, prepairing to fire. "My ship!" Marcus shouted. "Get down!" I screamed and jumped behind a merchents cart. A volley of bullets whizzed past us while we took cover. The soldiers that had been persuing us were mowed down and collapsed in the streets. I stood and almost got my head blown off. "Fire at will." I heard someone shout and bullets began flying everywhere. "Anybody got a bloody plan?" I shouted. "That's Beau and Luke's department!" Ed shouted back. From the ship a loud whistle pierced the air followed by two explosions. I looked over the edge of the cart and saw two craters in the concrete where the soldiers used to be. "Guess they did have a plan." Marcus said standing up. "Let's get outta here!" We raced down to the water and climbed aboard the ship before any more soldiers could arrive. Everyone ran to untie the sails and weigh the anchor. For a crew of only eight we could move increadably fast about the ship. Marcus took the helm and raised his hands, the winds changed and began blowing against the sails. Soon London was no more than a spec on the horizon. No ships persued us and soon we began to relax. Each of us took turns steering the ship back to Half-Blood Island, our home. For two weeks we sailed across the Atlantic. The Storm Bringer is enchanted with many spells that guard against bad weather and hide us from monsters. It is also blessed with a spell to travel faster at night. On the 14th day of sailing, in the early morning, I could see the mountain is the distance. I called the others up on deck. Whenever we enter the Sea of Monsters we are at a greater risk of being attacked than in regular waters. Not that we're never at risk. A son of Zeus, and a son of Hades, on the same ship, in Poseidon's realm spelled nothing but disaster. But as long as we continued sacraficing to him we hadn't been attacked. The fog started to thicken and I could just make out the outline if the Hydra's Teeth. Large, razor sharp rocks that jutted out of the water ready to tear any ship to kindling. I cafefully steered us through. Sweat trickled down my neck as I made the last tight turn into the bay. The fog lifted as we entered the bay and the familiar landscape of our island appeared like magic. The white sand beach shimmered in the morning light.The mountain stood tall to the west and the volcano smoked in the east. Birds flew from tree to tree and the occasional wild boar ran out of the woods. I beached the ship and dropped anchor. We began unloading the little cargo we had left from our voyage. Once everything was put away and the boat firmly moured Marcus called a meeting in the only building we had on the island. It was a large structure made out of fallen trees and boards taken from wrecked ships so it looked like a log cabin and a boat had smashed into each other. Despite it's looks it served it purpose. It had one large room with a fire place, dining room, and serveral couches pushed up against the wall. There were also seven rooms, four up stairs, and three off the main room. "So Marcus," Victoria asked, as we sat around the large oaken table. "What was the treasure you were able to take from the palace?" Victoria liked to keep a record of all the treasures we had stolen over the years. Marcus smiled then nodded to Ed. Ed sat there confused for a moment then grabbed his backpack. He looked inside and an even more puzzled look appeared on his face. He pulled out a simple curved horn. It was about a foot long and was white with a black tip. "That... that is what we risked our necks for!?" I asked trying to keep my anger under control. Everyone began passing the horn around looking it over. When it reached me I simply tossed it a Marcus who caught it mid-air. "It is not simply a horn." Marcus said calmly. "This is the Horn of Plenty. Created by Hercules when he ripped the horn off of the river god Achelous. It can produce an unlimited amount of food and drink." He stood and grabbed a silver goblet from a shelf. He tipped the horn into the cup and a liquid began flowing from the horn into the goblet. He handed the goblet to me and I hesitantly took a sip. "It's rum!" I said startled. I passed the goblet around and everyone took a drink. "That's amazing." Luke said handing the goblet back to Marcus. Marcus refilled the goblet then pointed the horn at the table. A torrent of food shot from the horn and flooded the table. Tons of fruits, bread, and meats piled onto the table. "Now that's amazing!" Beau said grabbing for and apple. "Yes, but enough about the treasure." Marcus said causing all of us to turn. Danielle pushed a watermelon out of the way to see him. "When we were in London running from the soldiers I saw something that forced me to stop. Damion you were there too." He said turning to me. "Aye Captain, if your refering to the orphanage?" I asked. "Aye, there were demigods amongst those kids." He said quietly. "It made me think, how many demigods are out there, living in horrible conditions or constantly under the threat of monsters?" "What do you suggest?" Danielle asked slicing up the watermelon. Marcus sighed. "We have this whole island, it is safe from monsters and it can hold many more than just the eight of us. Why not give other demigods a safe haven here on our island?" "I don't know Captain, it doesn't seem like the pirate thing to do." Luke stated, getting up and grabbing more goblets for the rest of us. Before he got back to the table Marcus had his sword point under Lukes chin. "So your saying we should do things more like pirates and less like demigods?" He said digging his sword a little deeper under Luke's chin. "Because a pirate would slit your throat right now." He lowered his sword and Luke quickly took his seat, filled his goblet using the horn and downed it in one swing. Marcus remained standing. "We are demigods first, pirates second. Remember that." He said looking at each of us. Everyone sat there in silence. This was a big decision, to open the island, to make it a home for other demigods? In the back of my mind I knew it was dangerous but it was also the right thing to do. I stood and pulled out my Piece of Eight. I placed it on the table and started the song: "Yo, ho all together." After a few seconds Victoria stood and placed her piece next to mine. "Hoist the colors high." Susan reached across the table and placed her's in the group. "Heave ho." Ed jumped up and placed his in the group. "Thieves and beggars." Marcus proudly produced his piece. "Rock the sea, and brand the sky." Luke and Beau together slid their pieces in together to complete the whole coin. "Yo, ho, never shall we die!" They sang together. Bringing all pieces of eight together meant we were in agreement. This was a binding contract, whatever we agreed on we had to stick to it no matter the circumstances and dangers. "It appears we have an accord." Marcus said, as a wide smile spread across his face. Category:SonOfZeus1200 Category:Tales of The Storm Bringer